it is a building in course of construction, which is not
yet furnished, and where there is no fire."--"What does it matter?" they
answered him. "Let us go up to the first floor."

We went up to the first floor by a steep and narrow wooden staircase,
and we took possession of two rooms with very low ceilings, but of which
one was sufficiently large. The walls were whitewashed, and a few
straw-covered stools formed the whole of its furniture.

They called out to me, "Preside."

I sat down on one of the stools in the corner of the first room, with
the fire place on my right and on my left the door opening upon the
staircase. Baudin said to me, "I have a pencil and paper. I will act as
secretary to you." He sat down on a stool next to me.

The Representatives and those present, amongst whom were several men in
blouses, remained standing, forming in front of Baudin and myself a sort
of square, backed by the two walls of the room opposite to us. This
crowd extended as far as the staircase. A lighted candle was placed on
the chimney-piece.

A common spirit animated this meeting. The faces were pale, but in every
eye could be seen the same firm resolution. In all these shadows
glistened the same flame. Several simultaneously asked permission to
speak. I requested them to give their names to Baudin, who wrote them
down, and then passed me the list.

The
first speaker was a workman. He began by apologizing for mingling with
the Representatives, he a stranger to the Assembly. The Representatives
interrupted him. "No, no," they said, "the People and Representatives
are all one! Speak--!" He declared that if he spoke it was in order to
clear from all suspicion the honor of his brethren, the workmen of
Paris; that he had heard some Representatives express doubt about them.
He asserted that this was unjust, that the workmen realized the whole
crime of M. Bonaparte and the whole duty of the People, that they would
not be deaf to the appeal of the Republican Representatives, and that
this would be clearly shown. He said all this, simply, with a sort of
proud shyness and of honest bluntness. He kept his word. I found him the
next day fighting on the Rambuteau barricade.

Mathieu (de la Drome) came in as the workman concluded. "I bring news,"
he exclaimed. A profound silence ensued.

As I have already said, we vaguely knew since the morning that the Right
were to have assembled, and that a certain number of our friends had
proba